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Alvarez is NL player of the week

ST. LOUIS — Rookie third baseman Pedro Alvarez today was named NL player of the week.

In six games last week, Alvarez hit .417 (10 for 24) with four doubles, two home runs and a major league-leading 13 RBI. He led the NL with 20 total bases, tied for the lead in doubles, and also ranked among the leaders in hits and slugging percentage (.833).

Alvarez hit safely in every game last week — including three multi-hit games — scored four runs and had a .400 on-base percentage. He has reached base safely in 24 straight games and 24 of his past 25.

Alvarez is the first Pirates player to win the award since Ryan Doumit in June 2008.

Other nominees for the award based on last week’s games included Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen and left-hander Paul Maholm, Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto, New York Mets outfielder Carlos Beltran and Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Bruan.

The second overall draft pick in 2008, Alvarez is among the rookie leaders in homers (13, eigthth) and RBI (56, tied for eighth).

»»» According to Elias Sports Bureau, Jose Tabata (.302) and Neil Walker (.301) could become the first set of Pirates rookies to each hit .300 or better in a season since Jimmy Williams (.355) and Ginger Beaumont (.352) in 1899.